U.N. Truce Chief to Report on Survey Made of Israel’s Borders

June 15, 1966

JERUSALEM (Jun. 14)

Maj. Gen. Odd Bull, chief of staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, will make a special report to U.N. Secretary-General U Thant on the results of a minute survey of the Israeli side of the Israel-Syrian borders, designed to probe Syrian charges that Israel has been massing troops on the Syrian borders. A spokesman for UNTSO, which has its headquarters in the Jerusalem-Jordan No-Man’s-Land, said today that the 14 teams that conducted that survey have completed their assignments.

The survey, made at the request of the Syrian Government, was made by military observers from the UNTSO staff and Israeli army officers who, together, inspected every border point from Tel Dan to Tel Katsir, as well as the demilitarized zones and all defense areas. Syria had assured UNTSO that it will permit a similar, detailed inspection of the border areas on its side of the frontier. In reply to a question as to whether Mr. Thant will make Gen. Bull’s report public, the UNTSO spokesman said: “The decision on that point rests with U Thant.”